So this is my second burn this year, and I almost didn't make it through my first burn. I'm extremely sensitive to heat, fair skinned, and I have some ongoing health problems that make matters worse.

So I was looking up options to try and stay cool during the heat of the day, besides the huge hat, parasol, and mister I brought last year. I came across battery operated fans. Usually I'm not a fan of small battery operated devices, but I was wondering if anyone's used them before? Have they worked? I've seen a range of things from personal handheld fans to tent fans. I was wondering if anyone's tried anything and what the feedback is?

Also if anyone has any other suggestions I'd love to hear them. I'm kinda stumped right now and I was so close to going home last year, one of my camp mates offered me a ride to Reno on Friday and I almost left. I don't want a repeat of that this year.

Last year we had some mild weather. It was one of the more temperate years of this decade. We had a decent breeze throughout the event and mild temperatures. Barely broke 90 all week.

If you struggled with a nice year like last, you may want to consider methods that are a bit more efficient at cooling like a swamp cooler or air conditioning. A battery operated fan will not do much unless you are soaking wet.

In 2001 we had several days with no wind and 110+ daytime temperatures. It happens every now and again.

"I'm extremely sensitive to heat, fair skinned, and I have some ongoing health problems that make matters worse."

Boy, is a week in a desert that is actively trying to kill you PERFECT for you!

I had a small, battery-operated fan - camping fan - that was the key to me getting to sleep in later than other people.

It doesn't do much more than blow hot air around, though. If heat really is that bad, for you, like Token said you need to come up with something more drastic than a simple fan.

Like keeping bandanas in a cooler (I'm pretty sure they make a certain kind, just for holding in cool), drinking ice-cold stuff to help cool you from the inside out, applying ice to your wrists, inner elbow and other points - maybe google what the Army does/has for our troops in the desert(s).

Icepacks might be handy. They'll cool you off really fast if you stick them under your armpits, or soaking your feet/hands in ice water will feel fantastic. If you have a camelbak, you can fill it with ice and it's going to feel awesome against your back.

Make sure you have a nice shady place to hang out during the day too. My shade structure wasn't that great so I spent alot of the day under the big art installations.

I had a couple of O2Cool fans. They use 6 D cell batteries. I brought plenty of batteries but they lasted quite a while. I put the breeze directly on me in the morning and it helped me sleep a little longer. Inside during the day, when I had to be inside, I kept a wet wash cloth and wiped exposed skin. Not much but made short times a little better. Mostly in the day, if not on my bike, I sat under my awning in the shade. But last year was quite reasonable. If just being there is too hot, you may have to use mechanical means, swamp cooler or air conditioning, to make your time bearable.

1) in those miserable, oven-like 10 minutes in the morning between awakening & leaving the tent--i.e. so I can tame my hair somewhat & put my contacts in without sweltering to death before I exit to my shade structure. The fan is worth it for those times alone.

2) while applying makeup during the early evenings, so my face doesn't sweat.

3) while attempting to rest during the day (actual napping is a fruitless exercise for me, but it makes the attempts more comfortable).

I set mine on a TV tray so the breeze can reach me. It would be nice to have two of them (one for the head, one for the feet) but it would be excessive for me.

Bring at least one full extra set of batteries or whatever you need to recharge, as you may fall asleep with it on. (I do this at least once a year with my flashlight, sadly.)

I think it is time to think about more drastic measures. Buy an old small single axle camp trailer. The kind from the 60's. They have nearly no amenities and can be towed with a large car or small pickup. Paint it silver. Buy an air conditioner for a house. The kind you put in a window and fashion a very secure way for it to work with the trailer. Buy or rent a silent running generator that will power the air conditioner plus at least 10%. Put it all together and you have an escape pod where you can stay cool. In my opinion not leaving the event is priceless.

Black Rock City Welding and Repair. The Night Time Warming Station. iGNiTE! Bar.

Card Carrying Member BRCCP.

When you pass the 4th "bridge out!" sign; the flaming death is all yours.-Knowmad-

Truckstops carry 12 volt fans, some of which can also run off batteries. MyLarry has several on his truck, but if we wanted, we could use them on the playa. We take a 12 volt battery for camp lights, a fan wouldn't be much of a stretch.

My kids really liked these pump up misters. There is a strap to sling it over your shoulder and then a little clip to attach the hose to your shirt. Then you just turn the valve and it sprays mist on you:
Misty Mate

I think it is time to think about more drastic measures. Buy an old small single axle camp trailer. The kind from the 60's. They have nearly no amenities and can be towed with a large car or small pickup. Paint it silver. Buy an air conditioner for a house. The kind you put in a window and fashion a very secure way for it to work with the trailer. Buy or rent a silent running generator that will power the air conditioner plus at least 10%. Put it all together and you have an escape pod where you can stay cool. In my opinion not leaving the event is priceless.

Agreed. I remember thinking, if there's ever a candidate for an indoor haven, it's stray0176--then I got distracted by the more literal subject at hand. My fan is nice for the average person, but not enough to make the difference for someone with a delicate system.

I don't do very well in the heat either. I found that one of those 8" D battery fans works alright, but if you add in a $1.99 spray bottle you'll be much better. Something about how it just barely mists you then the fan blows across is great. Also, the water that melts from your drink cooler is often to dirty, from dirty hands reaching in, to drink, but very nice for cleaning your feet!

AntiM wrote:Truckstops carry 12 volt fans, some of which can also run off batteries. MyLarry has several on his truck, but if we wanted, we could use them on the playa. We take a 12 volt battery for camp lights, a fan wouldn't be much of a stretch.

AntiM, How long does the battery run for? I'm considering an art project, only problem is night lighting. I'm thinking easiest solution is a car battery, with a bunch of El-wire.

Why don't ya stick your head in that hole and find out? ~pieholePlan for the worst, expect the best. Make the most out of it under any conditions. If you cannot do that you will never enjoy yourself. ~CrispyDave

I have a 72 amp/hour lead acid marine/deep cycle battery that I use for lights and pump for water. I am very conscious of my power use, so no waste, but I use it all and I didn't have to use my other. That is an AGM sealed, 60 a/h. It has the advantage of being able to be mounted in any position and not leak and can discharge further without shortening the life of the battery like the lead acids.

And more batteries... For the bar I have a 64 watt solar panel that charges two 6v 225 a/h Trojan deep cycle golf cart batteries. Lots of power. Should run multiple LED light strings, some CFL lights, a spot light for the bowling alley and the large K sign with florescent tubes. It may draw them down some but can recharge fully in the sun.

Depends on how much power you need. Do you need it to go the whole week? Will you recharge it? A small solar panel may keep it going all week.

Savannah wrote:1) in those miserable, oven-like 10 minutes in the morning between awakening & leaving the tent--i.e. so I can tame my hair somewhat & put my contacts in without sweltering to death before I exit to my shade structure. The fan is worth it for those times alone.

wow, I just flashed on how cool it feels when I've stepped out of my tent in the morning when the sun has started to heat up the inside. I like that part.

I was gifted a home made cooler bandana that is simply a sewn up snake or tube of cotton material with the gel granules you can get at the nursery for keeping plants wet between waterings. I'd guess there's less than two tpsp. of stuff in there when dry. When wet, they expand the tube up to an inch of more in diameter. It was handed to me damp and cold straight out of a cooler. When I needed to recharge it I'd put it in a baggy with some water and put it in the cooler.

stray0176 wrote:Also if anyone has any other suggestions I'd love to hear them. I'm kinda stumped right now and I was so close to going home last year, one of my camp mates offered me a ride to Reno on Friday and I almost left. I don't want a repeat of that this year.

The coolest spot on the Playa is inside the ice truck as they get unloaded.. Sign up to work the shift during the heat of the day...

As many here have said, stay wet and a battery powered fan works very well. Much as I hate them, Wally World carries the O2Cool ones. Foot baths with the ice melt from the cooler will actually make me cold.

[quote="C.f.M."]"
Boy, is a week in a desert that is actively trying to kill you PERFECT for you!
.[/quote]
Yup, but I loved being there and it was so worth it for me, which is why I'm planning on going this year..

Shroom-Thanks for the link, I think I saw these at my local outdoor store, I'll check there first, I'd rather buy local than online, but thats a cool link, lots of nifty ideas. They look like they would help when I'm walking around and such.

[quote="AntiM"]Use rechargeable batteries. The solar chargers work well for those, just have an extra set or two to swap out. Not even terribly expensive.[/quote]
Do they make solar rechargeable batteries? The only rechargeable batteries I've seen are the ones at Costco. I've gotta google that..I've never seen em.

I think I'm going to look into alot of the things that you all suggested, thanks, I was truly stumped. I'm camping in a dome, so I have somewhere to retreat during the day that gets more airflow that a tent.
I've been looking at those little battery operated misters and thinking about attaching one to the inside of my dome.
Last year when I went out I brought a cold bandanna, a parasol, and my camelbak full of ice water, but it was still a challenge.
I just want to be able to explore the playa more this year. During the day last year, if I went out, it would only be for an hour or so before I went home to my cooler for some ice water and to lay down for a bit. This is challenging because I end up having to split off from my friends and be the party pooper. I'm only 20, and my friends can run around all day and I can't do nearly that much out there.

A few of my tricks.
The mister bottle with battery op fan is good for when you are sitting around camp. Get the wide mouth version so you can fill it with ice and water.
I got a couple nylon money belts and filled them with ice and wore around my waist when out on the Playa. Filled a 5 gallon plastic bucket with ice, and put the battery operated fan up against it, blowing on my face first thing in the morning to sleep a little longer when the sun came up. Drank ice water all day long. Got a big mouth insulated bottle that holds a lot. Good hat and light colored clothes.

Met some old timers who said their survival trick was to have a cargo trailer with window AC unit and generator (Honda 2000 will work). It's totally dark and cold in there, so you can nap anytime, even in the middle of the day.

C.f.M. wrote:I just want to be able to explore the playa more this year. During the day last year, if I went out, it would only be for an hour or so before I went home to my cooler for some ice water and to lay down for a bit. This is challenging because I end up having to split off from my friends and be the party pooper. I'm only 20, and my friends can run around all day and I can't do nearly that much out there.

Just curious, were you on a bike or walking? When I'm biking the breeze actually cools me off alot more than if I was walking.

C.f.M. wrote:I just want to be able to explore the playa more this year. During the day last year, if I went out, it would only be for an hour or so before I went home to my cooler for some ice water and to lay down for a bit. This is challenging because I end up having to split off from my friends and be the party pooper. I'm only 20, and my friends can run around all day and I can't do nearly that much out there.

Just curious, were you on a bike or walking? When I'm biking the breeze actually cools me off alot more than if I was walking.

Mudpuppy- I bike. This year I'm looking into making something to shade my bike while I'm on it. I'm not sure what yet though. The only place I walked last year was the half a block to the porta potties..lol

AntiM- The first thing I thought when you said solar battery charger was the tops of those patio solar lights. The ones I have hold two AA batteries and home depot sells the batteries I need for them. I could bring those, charge the batteries and use them in other devices. I don't know how well it would work, but its worth a shot. Thank you for that link, I think I'm going to buy one of those if my crazy idea doesnt work

theCryptofishist- Instead of palm fronds or feathers, try the big chinese fans. Yes they make the small personal ons, but they make bigger ones about the size of a palm frond. Get one person on either side of you and make them fan. lol

dragonpilot- Do you have the Coleman tent fan or the portable one? Those were the only two I saw. Im worried about them sucking down batteries..

ibddave- O.o I never thought about working with artica. That would be frosty I imagine

elorrum- Thank you for the tip, I might just sew a few of those, since I have quite a bit of fabric laying around and i can make extras to give to fellow cold weather people..

I wish I could afford to buy and make a trailer with ac, but I can't. So all these other options combined might help me alot!!!